NewJeans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
NewJeans
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NewJeans at the 2023 Melon Music Awards
L–R: Hyein, Hanni, Haerin, Danielle, and Minji |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Seoul, South Korea |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2022–2025 |
| Labels |
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| Members |
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| Past members | Danielle |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
뉴진스
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| RR | Nyujinseu |
| MR | Nyujinsŭ |
NewJeans (Korean: 뉴진스) is a popular South Korean girl group. They were formed by ADOR, a music company under Hybe. The group started with five members: Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. They are known for their friendly, "girl-next-door" style and music that reminds people of the 1990s and 2000s.
NewJeans debuted on July 22, 2022, with their song "Attention." This song quickly became number one in South Korea. Soon after, they released "Hype Boy" and "Cookie." "Hype Boy" became very popular worldwide, staying on the Billboard Global 200 chart for a long time. All these songs were part of their first album, New Jeans, released in August 2022.
In January 2023, they released another successful album called OMG. It included the hit songs "Ditto" and "OMG." "Ditto" was a huge success, staying at number one in South Korea for many weeks. It also became their first song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US and the UK Singles Chart.
Their second album, Get Up, reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It sold over a million copies in South Korea. The main song, "Super Shy", became one of their biggest international hits. NewJeans has won many awards for new artists. They were also recognized by Time as "Next Generation Leaders" and by Forbes Korea. In 2023, IFPI named NewJeans the eighth best-selling artist globally.
In 2024, there was a disagreement about how NewJeans was managed. The members wanted to change their contracts, but ADOR disagreed. After some court decisions, the group announced a break in March 2025. By October 2025, Hyein and Haerin agreed to return to ADOR. Hanni also returned in December 2025, but Danielle's contract with the group ended. Discussions about Minji's contract are still happening.
Contents
- What's in a Name? The Story of NewJeans
- NewJeans' Journey: From Debut to Today
- NewJeans' Unique Style: Music, Image, and Fashion
- NewJeans' Other Activities: Endorsements and Giving Back
- NewJeans' Influence: Shaping Pop Culture
- Meet the Members of NewJeans
- NewJeans' Music: Albums and Songs
- NewJeans on Screen: TV Shows
- See also
What's in a Name? The Story of NewJeans
The name "NewJeans" has a cool meaning! It suggests that, like jeans, the group wants to be a timeless and classic part of fashion and music. It's also a word play on "new genes," meaning they want to bring a fresh, new style to pop music.
For a short time in February 2025, the members used the name "NJZ" during a disagreement about their management. However, they stopped using "NJZ" a couple of months later after a court decision.
NewJeans' Journey: From Debut to Today
Before NewJeans: Early Steps and Formation (2011–2022)
Before joining NewJeans, some members were already active in TV, music, and dance.
- Danielle, who was born in Australia, appeared on a Korean TV show called Rainbow Kindergarten until 2011. She was also in other TV programs.
- Hyein started in a children's music group called U.SSO Girl in 2017. She later joined a YouTube music group called Play With Me Club in 2020.
- Hanni Pham, from Vietnam and Australia, performed K-pop dance covers with a crew in Melbourne.
The idea for a new girl group started in 2019 with Hybe and Source Music companies. Min Hee-jin became the creative director. She was well-known for her work at another big entertainment company. Auditions were held around the world. Minji was a trainee at Source Music and appeared in audition videos. Hanni was the only trainee from the "Plus Global Auditions" to join NewJeans. Danielle had trained at another company before joining Source Music in 2020. Haerin was discovered in 2019 and joined Source Music in early 2020. Hanni and Minji even appeared in BTS's music video for "Permission to Dance" in 2021. Later, all the members moved to a new company called ADOR in late 2021.
ADOR was a new company created by Hybe, and Min Hee-jin became its CEO. More auditions were held in late 2021 and early 2022. The final group members were chosen in March 2022. The group was sometimes called "Min Hee-jin's Girl Group" by the media. Their debut was planned for 2021 but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Debut Success: New Jeans and OMG (2022–2023)
On July 1, 2022, ADOR hinted at their new girl group with animated videos. On July 22, NewJeans surprised everyone by releasing the music video for their first song, "Attention," without any warning! Billboard magazine said this was a "risky-but-ultimately invigorating" move that focused on the music first. After the video, they announced their first album, New Jeans, which had four songs.
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NewJeans released their second song, "Hype Boy," on July 23, 2022. This came with videos that showed each member's story. "Hype Boy" became very popular in South Korea and stayed on the Billboard Global 200 chart for 42 weeks, a record for a K-pop girl group. Their album New Jeans was released digitally on August 1, 2022, along with their third song, "Cookie." Some people discussed the lyrics of "Cookie," but ADOR explained that the words referred to making music and baking cookies, which use a similar idea in Korean. The physical album came out on August 8 and sold over one million copies, making it the best-selling debut album by a K-pop girl group in South Korea. NewJeans performed their songs on TV for the first time on August 4. Later in 2022, they performed at KCON events in Saudi Arabia and Japan. They also won many "rookie" (new artist) awards at major music shows.
On December 19, 2022, NewJeans released "Ditto," the first song from their album OMG. "Ditto" was a massive hit, staying at number one in South Korea for thirteen weeks. It was also their first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and the UK Singles Chart. "Ditto" later won "Song of the Year" at several big awards shows in 2023. The full OMG album was released on January 2, 2023. Critics liked its retro-style theme. It sold 700,000 copies in its first week and became their first album to sell over one million copies. The album's second song, "OMG," became very popular on TikTok and was their most streamed song on Spotify.
Global Recognition: Get Up and Japanese Debut (2023–2024)
In July 2023, NewJeans held their first fan meeting, "Bunnies Camp," in Seoul, which sold out quickly. They released their second album, Get Up, on July 21, 2023. Get Up became their first album to reach number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. This made NewJeans only the second K-pop girl group to achieve this! The album sold 1.65 million copies in its first week, becoming their third album in a row to sell over a million copies. It featured three popular songs: "Super Shy", "ETA", and "Cool with You". All three songs appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, a first for a K-pop female artist. "Super Shy" was their best-performing song on international charts. To promote Get Up, NewJeans performed in many countries and worked with global brands. In August 2023, they became the first K-pop girl group to perform at Lollapalooza in the United States and also performed at the Summer Sonic Festival in Japan.
Throughout 2023, NewJeans released more songs. They collaborated with Coca-Cola on "Zero" and "Be Who You Are (Real Magic)." They also recorded songs for TV shows like A Time Called You and My Demon. In October, they worked with Riot Games to release "Gods" as the theme song for the 2023 League of Legends World Championship. In December 2023, they released NJWMX, an album with remixes of their earlier songs. At the end of the year, they were the first K-pop girl group to perform on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.
Many publications recognized NewJeans as one of the most important music acts of 2023. They sold 4.39 million albums, a record for a K-pop female artist in one year. They also set a Guinness World Record for being the fastest K-pop act to reach one billion streams on Spotify. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) ranked NewJeans as the eighth best-selling artist worldwide in 2023. They won "Artist of the Year" at the MAMA Awards and the Melon Music Awards, making them the first female artist to win both in the same year. They also won "Group of the Year" at the Billboard Women in Music event, a first for a K-pop group.
In March 2024, NewJeans announced new music. "How Sweet" was released on May 24, along with "Bubble Gum." "Supernatural" was released on June 21, with "Right Now." These releases marked their official Japanese debut. They held a fan meeting, "Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome," in Japan in June. NewJeans won the Grand Artist Award at the first Korea Grand Music Awards on November 16, 2024.
Challenges and Changes: Group Hiatus and Member Departures (2024–Present)
In April 2024, a disagreement began between Hybe and NewJeans' CEO, Min Hee-jin, about how the group was managed. Min Hee-jin was later removed as CEO of ADOR on August 27.
During this time, the NewJeans members showed their support for Min Hee-jin. They expressed concerns about Hybe's management. On September 25, Hybe stated that Min Hee-jin would remain the group's producer. Min Hee-jin later resigned from Hybe in November.
On October 15, Hanni spoke about the challenges NewJeans faced in the entertainment industry. On November 13, it was reported that the NewJeans members had sent a letter to ADOR about their contracts. On November 28, the five members announced they were ending their contracts with ADOR, citing issues with artist protection. ADOR disagreed, saying the members were still under contract.
On December 5, ADOR asked the court to confirm their contracts were still valid. On December 14, the NewJeans members created a new Instagram account, "jeanzforfree." In January 2025, ADOR filed a court order to stop the members from signing independent advertising deals. On February 7, the members announced a new group name, "NJZ," and were set to perform at a music festival. However, two days before the show, ADOR obtained a court order preventing them from independent activities. The group still performed, announcing a pause in all activities afterward.
The group tried to challenge the court order, but it was upheld in April 2025. They then appealed to a higher court and stopped using the "NJZ" name. On May 30, the court ordered each member to pay ADOR money for any unauthorized activities. On June 18, the higher court denied the group's appeal. After some discussions in August and September, the court ruled in favor of ADOR on October 30, confirming the contracts were valid until 2029. On November 12, ADOR announced that Haerin and Hyein had agreed to return to the label. The other three members also expressed their intent to return. On December 29, Hanni agreed to return to ADOR, but Danielle's contract with the label ended, meaning she left NewJeans. Discussions about Minji's contract are still ongoing.
NewJeans' Unique Style: Music, Image, and Fashion
Musical Style and Lyrics: Easy Listening and Retro Vibes
NewJeans' music mixes different styles like R&B, electropop, and hip hop. Their songs often have calm beats, cool synthesizer sounds, and live vocals. Their first albums, New Jeans and OMG, mostly feature mid-tempo pop and R&B that sound like music from the 1990s and 2000s. Some critics compared their sound to K-pop girl groups from the late 1990s. They also use elements from electronic and dance music styles like UK garage and Jersey club. With their album Get Up, they explored more dance and club sounds. Their song "Supernatural" even brought in new jack swing and dance-pop styles.
The Hankook Ilbo newspaper said NewJeans' style fits the "newtro" trend, which means "new retro." Their sound is often called "easy listening" because it's smooth and doesn't have the loud electronic dance music (EDM) sounds common in other K-pop. Critics like Sheldon Pearce and Joshua Minsoo Kim from NPR described their music as soft and delicate, which is different from the "maximalist" sounds of other groups. The Guardian called their songs "sleek and lethally hooky, yet playful." Scholar David Tizzard noted that some of their songs are influenced by 90s British jungle and drum and bass.
NewJeans' music is mainly produced by South Korean artists 250 and Park Jin-su (FRNK). The members often help write the songs. They have said they are inspired by high school teen dramas like Clueless and Mean Girls. The main producer, Min Hee-jin, chooses all their songs and guides the recording. She wanted to create music that broke away from typical K-pop formulas. She preferred recording without guide vocals, letting the members develop their own singing styles.
Image and Fashion: Trendsetters with a Natural Look
NewJeans has become a big influence in fashion and make-up, thanks to their stylist Choi Yu-mi. Choi Yu-mi started working with Min Hee-jin and NewJeans in 2020. Min Hee-jin wanted NewJeans to have a "cool, chill, and sophisticated" image. NewJeans debuted with a Y2K-inspired style, which helped bring back this fashion trend in South Korea. In their music videos, the members wore different outfits to make fans curious and rewatch the videos to identify them.
For their hair and make-up, NewJeans worked with hairstylist Gi-hee and make-up artist Lee Nak-yeum. They created a special "natural" look for the group. Azrin Tan from Vogue Singapore said NewJeans brought a "new aesthetic" with minimal make-up and straight black hair. This simple style stood out from the often flashy looks of other K-pop groups. Their styling helped create their "girl-next-door" image, which was a fresh change in K-pop.
NewJeans has also explored different looks in their music videos for Get Up, including cheerleading and ballet-inspired outfits. Their stylist has included modern trends like gorpcore and blokecore in their fashion. Edith Winslow of Vogue Australia described their style as a mix of "bold pieces, contemporary designers, and the confidence to pull it all off." The New York Times named them among the most stylish people of 2023. The members enjoy trying different styles and expressing themselves through fashion. Each member has also become an ambassador for famous fashion and beauty brands:
- Hanni for Gucci, Armani Beauty, and UGG
- Hyein for Louis Vuitton
- Danielle for Burberry, YSL Beauty, and Celine
- Minji for Chanel Korea
- Haerin for Dior
NewJeans' Other Activities: Endorsements and Giving Back
Endorsements: Popular Faces for Top Brands
NewJeans is very popular in advertising. Tamar Herman from NME called them "the most in-demand advertising models" in late 2023. In April 2024, Forbes Korea reported that the group earned a lot of money from advertising in just one year. Their popularity comes from influencing different generations, especially Generation Z, in South Korea and worldwide. This has led many Korean brands to choose NewJeans as ambassadors to promote their products internationally. For example, after their campaigns, Musinsa saw double sales in women's fashion, and Lotte's Pepero sales increased by 17%.
NewJeans has also represented many other brands, including Levi's, Calvin Klein, Olens contact lenses, Stonehenge jewelry, and Carin eyewear. They have been global ambassadors for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, LG Electronics' Gram laptops (which sold out quickly), Lotte's Pepero, and Indofood's Indomie. They have also appeared in campaigns for SK Telecom (promoting iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro), Apple, Nike (promoting Air Max), McDonald's Korea, and many more.
NewJeans has also worked with government and cultural groups to promote Korean culture and tourism. In February 2023, they became ambassadors for the city of Seoul and for Seoul Fashion Week. In March 2024, they were appointed ambassadors for Incheon International Airport's customs division. In May 2024, NewJeans and the British Museum recorded an audio guide for the museum's Korean exhibit. In July 2024, they became honorary ambassadors for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and starred in commercials promoting local tourism. They have also promoted hanji (traditional Korean paper).
The group has partnered with companies to create special cross-branded products. These products are often sold in pop-up stores in Seoul and other countries. Some partners include Nudake dessert brand, Musinsa, LG Electronics, McDonald's, Line Friends, Nike, Krafton (for PUBG game characters), Takashi Murakami, and Hiroshi Fujiwara.
Philanthropy: Giving Back to the Community
NewJeans and ADOR are committed to helping others. In December 2022, they announced they would donate part of their album sales profits every year to the Snail of Love charity. This charity helps fund cochlear implant surgeries and speech therapy for people who are hearing-impaired. The following year, ADOR and NewJeans joined the Snail of Love's Soul Leader club, having donated over ₩99 million.
In February 2023, NewJeans and ADOR donated ₩200 million to the World Food Programme to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. In May 2024, NewJeans donated all the money from their performances at seven university festivals to the Korea Scholarship Foundation. In December 2024, the five members personally donated 100 million won (about $69,000) to ChildFund Korea, a children's charity.
NewJeans' Influence: Shaping Pop Culture
NewJeans has quickly become "one of the most recognized and most influential groups in pop," according to Billboard. The Times of India called them a global pop icon, saying they have "secured a spot in the heart of pop enthusiasts around the world." Time magazine named them one of the Next Generation Leaders. Music critic Jung Min-jae told NBC News that "NewJeans is everything contemporary K-pop was not, arriving fresh-faced in a seemingly unchanging industry." Critics noted that NewJeans' "carefree, laid-back, and natural" sound influenced newer K-pop boy groups like Riize and TWS. Business Insider said NewJeans has become a "musical paradigm shifter" in both Korean and global pop. NewJeans has been featured in important rankings, including Forbes's Korea Power Celebrity 40 and 30 Under 30 – Asia (Entertainment & Sports).
NewJeans quickly made a name for themselves in the fashion industry. Their friendly image and international appeal made them "an overnight fashion favorite," according to The Business of Fashion. Designers like Yoon Ahn and Bach Mai have even said NewJeans influenced their collections. NewJeans has been recognized for their impact on fashion. They received an award from the Korea Fashion Industry Association in 2023 and were listed as one of the 500 most influential people in the industry by The Business of Fashion that same year.
Meet the Members of NewJeans
- Current
- Minji (민지)
- Hanni (하니)
- Haerin (해린)
- Hyein (혜인)
- Former
- Danielle (다니엘) (2022–2025)
NewJeans Member Timeline
NewJeans' Music: Albums and Songs
Extended plays
- New Jeans (2022)
- Get Up (2023)
NewJeans on Screen: TV Shows
Television shows
- NewJeans Code in Busan (2022)
See also
In Spanish: NewJeans para niños
- List of best-selling girl group albums
